ASFACTS 2011 FEBRUARY “T EENAGE DREAM /P OKER FACE ” L OVE ISSUE

day, April 2, in Buchanan Hall of the ENMU Music Building. The screenings are free and open to the public.

REDWALL AUTHOR DIES

British author Brian Jacques died February 5, fol-

lowing emergency surgery for an aortic aneurysm. He was 71 years old. ENMU WILLIAMSON LECTURESHIP Jacques published his juvenile novel Redwall , about a collection of anthropomorphic mice, badgers, voles SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY , A PRIL 1 and other creatures, in 1986. Jacques followed Redwall

The 35th annual Jack Williamson Lectureship will with an additional 20 volumes in the series, including be held Friday, April 1, at Eastern New Mexico Univer- The Rogue Crew , which is scheduled to be released later sity in Portales, NM. The theme of this year’s event is this year. “Six Minutes into the Future: SF in Film and TV.” Spe- The series was adapted into a popular animated cial guests for 2011 are Michael Cassutt and Melinda series as well as an opera. In addition to the Redwall se- Snodgrass, with Connie Willis serving as Mistress of ries, Jacques also wrote three volumes in his Flying Ceremonies. Events include a luncheon and various Dutchman series, beginning in 2001. And Jacques pub- panel discussions in the afternoon. lished two collections of short stories, and a couple of A campus tradition since 1977, the Williamson picture books. Lectureship annually draws well-known authors to visit Jacques was born in June 1939, and grew up near the ENMU campus and discuss the interactions of sci- the Liverpool docks. He dropped out of school when he ence and the humanities. was 15 to become a merchant seaman. Other careers, as The Lectureship honors Williamson, long-time sci- a policeman and dockworker followed. In the 1960s, he ence-fiction author and professor of English who passed formed a band in Liverpool with his brothers. away in 2006. Williamson’s novella, “The Ultimate Jacques’s interest in writing started at a young age Earth,” captured a Hugo Award in 2001, and his last novel, The Stonehenge Gate , was released by Tor in UPCOMING ASFS M EETINGS 2005. • Tonight: A visit from time-traveling author Diana The Lectureship starts informally on March 31 Gabaldon, plus the release of this ASFacts ... when various writers read at 6:00 pm in the Jack Wil- • March 11: Time for the traditional ASFS Auction liamson Liberal Arts Building. with author Robert Vardeman at the helm. Please The luncheon takes place 11:45 am Friday, April 1, look for 2-6 items to donate for the club’s cause, in the Campus Union Ballroom, and costs a mere $8.00 and some cash to spend. (payable at the door). Reservations are needed, however, • March 25: Bubonicon 44 Guest nominations meet- by Friday, March 25. Call Patrice Caldwell at (505) 562- ing, most likely in Page One’s community room. 2315 or email her at [email protected]. • April 8: Local authors Daniel Abraham and Ty The SF/Fantasy panel discussions take place 3:30- Franck visit to talk about James S.A. Corey’s Le- 6:00 pm in the Williamson Special Collections Room of viathan Wakes. Also, the Spring issue of ASFacts Golden Library, and are free of charge. Exact panel top- will be out (deadline Sun, April 3). ics still are pending. • May 13: Engagement Party for Kevin Hewett and The High Plains Film Festival, being held the same Randi Tinkham. Cake and punch. Details to come. weekend, plans to acknowledge the Lectureship with a Location TBD. screening of Universe in 1/10 of an Hour on Friday, and • June 10: Program unknown at present. Probably screenings of SF-themed films 1:00-3:00 pm on Satur- an author visit...

Craig Chrissinger, normal editor. Darth Vader, guest editor each December. Please Send All Correspondence to — PO Box 37257, Albuquerque, NM 87176-7257. Contact: (505) 266-8905 or via [email protected]. ASFACTS published February, April, July & October for the Albuq SF Society. SITH FACTS out each December. NEXT DEADLINE : Sun, April 3. Club Officers: Kevin Hewett & Craig Chrissinger, co-Zec Secs (505) 266-8905. Jessica Coyle, Moderator. Harriet Engle, Alternator. Cupid, Holiday Host. Bubonicon Co-Chairs: Kristen Dorland (505) 459-8734 & Craig Chrissinger. and when he was ten, he was caned by a teacher who -eyed alien interlopers, plays at 4:15 and 8:15 pm. As couldn’t believe that he could write the story he had usual, cash only. The Guild Cinema is located on Central turned in. He hosted a long-running radio show about Avenue NE in the Nob Hill area. authorial concerns, Jakestown , on BBC Radio Mersey- + S ATURDAY & S UNDAY , M ARCH 26-27: A David side. Cronenberg Weird Science Weekend at the Guild Cin- ema, co-presented by Bubonicon 43. The Fly , with Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis in the remake of a SF clas- ALBUQ SF S IGNINGS /E VENTS SET sic, screens at 3:00 and 7:00 pm. Videodrome , the direc- FOR FEBRUARY & M ARCH tor’s very odd film with James Woods and Deborah Harry, plays at 5:00 and 9:00 pm. The Guild Cinema is Several signings by New Mexico authors and SF- located in the Nob Hill area on Central Avenue NE. related events have been set up for February and March right here in Albuquerque. So, please stop by these 2010 P HILIP K. D ICK AWARD NOMINEES events and say howdy to your favorite writer or film pre- senter – you might even purchase something while In mid-January, Locus Online reported that the you’re at it! Events coming up include: 2010 Philip K. Dick Award nominees have been an- + S ATURDAY , F EBRUARY 12, 2:00 PM : Part-time nounced: Santa Fe author Diana Gabaldon will talk about and sign Yarn by Jon Armstrong, Chill by Elizabeth Bear, An Echo in the Bone and The Exile: An Outlander The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell, Song of Graphic Novel at Page One Bookstore (southwest corner Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy, The Strange Affair of Spring of Montgomery and Juan Tabo NE). Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder, Harmony, Project Itoh + F RIDAY , F EBRUARY 25, 7:00 PM : ASFS member translated by Alexander O. Smith, and State of Decay by Bradford Lyau talks about and signs his first non-fiction James Knapp. book, The Anticipation Novelists of the 1950s French The Awards are presented annually to a distin- Science Fiction: Stepchildren of Voltaire (released as guished work of science fiction published in paperback volume 24 of Critical Explorations in Science Fiction original form in the United States. and Fantasy ), at Page One Bookstore on Montgomery The winner and any special citations will be an- NE. nounced April 22 at Norwescon 34 in SeaTac WA. + S ATURDAY , M ARCH 5, 2:30 PM : Several New Mexico authors will talk about and sign the anthology Golden Reflections and the solo novel Deep State . Par- AUTHOR /C OLLECTOR PASSES AWAY ticipating are editors Joan Saberhagen and Robert Varde- Author, bookseller and collector Jerry Weist died man, plus Daniel Abraham, Jane Lindskold, John January 7, after a long struggle with cancer. He was 61 Maddox Roberts and Walter Jon Williams. This mass years old, reports Locus Online. event takes place at Page One Bookstore on Montgom- Weist wrote the Hugo Award-nominated Ray ery NE. Bradbury: An Illustrated Life (2002) and The 100 Great- + S ATURDAY , M ARCH 12, 2:30 PM : Albuquerque- est Comic Books (2004). He was an art expert with an area authors Pati Nagle and M.J. Locke (Laura J. Mixon) emphasis on comic book, pulp, and science fiction art, will discuss and sign their SF/fantasy novels, Heart of and wrote two editions of The Comic Art Price Guide , the Exiled and Up Against It , respectively, at Page One with a third edition completed shortly before his death Bookstore. and forthcoming. + S ATURDAY & Born September 16, 1949, Weist grew up in Wich- SUNDAY , M ARCH 19 ita KS. He began producing his own fanzines in 1962 -20: A John Carpen- with Nightmare and Movieland Monsters , and later ed- ter Weird Science ited and published E.C. Comics fanzine Squa Tront Weekend at the (1967-1983). He moved to New York in 1972 as an art- Guild Cinema, co- ist, with work featured in one-man shows and galleries. presented by Bu- He relocated to Boston, where he opened early bonicon 43. Star- comic book store The Million Year Picnic in 1974. After man , with Jeff a decade as a bookseller he moved back to New York, Bridges and Karen where he spent 10 years as a consultant with Sotheby’s Allen, screens at auction house, organizing their first major comic book 2:00 and 6:00 pm. and comic art auction in 1991. He is survived by his wife They Live , with and two children. Roddy Piper and bug

Page 2 ASFACTS , February 2011 BOOK GROUP KEEPS READING BUBONICON 43 WANTS INPUT ,

The Droids & Dragons SF Book Group meets at RATES GO UP THIS MONTH 7:30 pm Monday, February 21 (unless a change is re- quired due to the Presidents’ Day holiday), in the DVD/ by Craig Chrissinger, con co-chair gift area of Page One to discuss Julian Comstock: A We’re a month and a half into 2011 now, believe it Story of 22 nd -Century America by Robert Charles Wilson or not, and the Bubonicon 43 train is warming up! Mem- (Tor Books 2009), nominated for a Hugo last year. The berships are $35 each through Saturday, Feb 12, and group then focuses on Blonde Bombshell by Tom Holt then they go up to $38 Feb 13-May 14. They can be pur- on March 21. chased in person at club meetings – or by mailing pay- Meetings of D&D are open to all interested readers ment (with the PDF pre-registration form from the web- on the third Monday of each month. Books for discus- site) to “NMSF Conference” at PO Box 37257, Albu- sion are chosen two months in advance, and group mem- querque, NM 87176. bers receive a 20% discount on selected novels. For Bubonicon 43 takes place, of course, August 26-28 more information, contact Yvonne at [email protected] (five days after the Reno, NV, Worldcon) at the Sheraton or Craig at 266-8905. Albuq Airport Hotel, 2910 Yale SE, near I-25 and Gib- son. Renovations are complete, so we won’t have any of those problems this year! Sleeping rooms are $99 a night BACIGALUPI & P RATCHETT WIN AWARDS single-double occupancy, $109 for triple-quad. Reserva- tions are needed by August 15. That’s 505-843-7000, Paolo Bacigalupi’s Ship Breaker (Little, Brown) extension 135. Remember, all Room Parties must be on won the 2011 Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in the 2 nd floor, with the hotel and con-com being informed young adult literature, announced January 10 at the of such at least four days in advance. You can request American Library Association midwinter conference in the “events” floor, a quiet floor, or state you have no San Diego. preference. Terry Pratchett received the Margaret A. Edwards In addition to special guests Stephen Leigh/S.L. Award for lifetime contribution in writing for young Farrell, Ian Tregillis and artist John Picacio, we’re ex- adults, reports Locus Online. pecting such con regulars as Robert Vardeman, Jane Also of genre interest: the Odyssey Award for Ex- Lindskold, Yvonne Coats, Harry O. Morris, Betsy cellence in Audiobook Production went to The True James, Pati Nagle, Melinda Snodgrass, Walter Jon Wil- Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex, narrated by Bahni liams, S.M. Stirling, Victor Milan, John Jos. Miller, Car- Turpin. rie Vaughn, Scott Phillips, Laura J. Mixon, George RR

Martin, Connie Willis, Mario Acevedo, Daniel Abra- OS C ARD SUFFERS MILD STROKE ham, Doranna Durgin, Andy Kuhn, and Susan Krinard, among others. All subject to change and travel plans, of Orson Scott Card had a small stroke on New Year’s course. Day 2011, reports Locus Online. According to Card’s The con-com is working on panel topics right now official website, he is “now back home, retraining his (panel topics, event ideas and proposals are welcome by brain so that the fingers of his left hand strike the keys next weekend), and sending out invitations to potential he’s aiming for. He will not be responding to most e- participants mid-March. We’re asking for all Fan Pro- mails because his typing gramming proposals and preliminary requests for time/ time must be devoted to space to be submitted by April 15 (Tax Day) so we have finishing his fiction.” time for any questions or clarifications before we build Card’s site says that the tentative schedule. he will “have a full recov- Some planned programming includes the Green ery.” His speech is unim- Slime Awards, the mass autographing session, the usual paired, and he still plans two auctions, a filking session, a game show, the cos- to conduct radio and taped tume contest, films and probably videos, and more fan/ interviews, but is not plan- video programming. Plus, hopefully, the return of the ning any public appear- Kids programming two-hour block (Jessica can use vol- ances or travel “for the unteer assistants). foreseeable future.” In- Pati Nagle should be spearheading the Authors stead he plans to spend the Sunday Afternoon Tea, but it’s not confirmed as of yet. next several months writ- Most likely, she would be assisted by Jane Lindskold ing at home. and Joan Saberhagen. And Victor Milan probably will

Page 3 ASFACTS , February 2011 be, once again, the Master of Ceremonies for the Cos- Their website notes: “ACE, or the Albuquerque tume Contest on Saturday. Comic Expo, is Albuquerque’s newest and most exciting The theme for Bubonicon 43 has not been set yet, comic book, pop culture, and entertainment convention. but most likely will be “Steampunk.” In keeping with It’s a weekend-long celebration of the very best in comic tradition and to honor the memory of NM’s own Pioneer books, movies, television, gaming, and more! The event Author, we plan to make a financial donation to the will be ticketed. Tickets will be available for the entire (Jack) Williamson SF Library Collection at Eastern NM weekend, or for individual days. All attendees ages 10 University, and also to the local Roadrunner Food Bank. and up are required to have a ticket to enter the event. A third non-profit organization also might be benefited, Children 10 and under are free with a paid adult ticket. If but that vote has not taken place as of this newsletter’s you are exhibiting, sponsoring, or in Artist Alley, tickets deadline. will be provided with your package, and extra tickets Dealers’ tables are $85 with one membership, and will be available at a discounted rate. Military, police, $120 with two. Since we only have 23 tables total, there and firefighters will receive an additional discount.” is a maximum of two tables per dealer. Also, tables are The show floor will be open 10 am-9 pm Friday, 10 not considered sold until payment is received and a con- am-9 pm Saturday, and 10 am-6 pm Sunday of the event. tract is signed. For more Dealer info, please email Caci A full three-day ticket is $40.00 through March 31, Gallop at [email protected]. A countdown of tables $50.00 April 1-June 23, and $55.00 at the door. Dailies remaining is posted on the website. at the Door are $30.00 Friday or Saturday, and $25.00 Meanwhile, Roslee Orndorff and Meg Malins are Sunday. Info at http://abqcomicexpo.com. You also can gearing up for the 2011 Art Show. As usual, art show write to the ACE folks at: Albuquerque Comic Expo, PO packets will be available online mid-May. We don’t plan Box 27504, Albuquerque, NM 87125-7504. to mail out packets, but if you don’t have internet access we can take care of you. If that’s the case, please send a BOOK REVIEW ROUND-UP 63-cent #10 SASE to the PO Box. Info is available from Roslee at [email protected]. The Warlord’s Legacy by Ari Marmell, Bantam Spectra More general information is available from Kristen 2011, hc $26.00, 364 pages. Review by Joe Walters at 459-8734, Craig at 266-8905, the PO Box, Mike This is the second book in what is apparently going to McCommas’ maintained website: www.bubonicon.com, be an ongoing series, the first book being The Conqueror’s via email at [email protected]. Shadow. Not having read the first book, I was gratified to find that it was not necessary to have done so before reading this one. Everything you need to know is covered nicely in LET ’S TRY A C OMIC EVENT AGAIN narrative, and I never found myself lost due to missing infor- mation from Book One. And little of that first book is The Albuquerque Comic Expo (ACE) takes place spoiled here, beyond learning that there was a Very Bad June 24-26, 2011, at the Albuq Convention Center Menace in that book, and the central character of the series – downtown. Coordinator Greg Derrick plans to have one Corvis Rebaine – put the thump on him, and only Re- room for 6,000 attendees with many more comic- baine made it to the second book. oriented guests than last month’s ABQ Comic Con (plus The story took a little while to grab me, but once it did printing many more program books and schedules). A it held on tight. This was largely because the book contains relationship between Bubonicon and ACE also has been quite a large cast, many characters to meet and become ac- established with links to each other’s websites and a customed to before the reader can understand who is seeking planned exchange of program book advertisements. what. It doesn’t help that at least two of the characters use Guests announced so far include Trek ’s Marina multiple names at different times… Sirtis, artist Gene Ha, Peter Mayhew and Dave Prowse The focal character, Corvis Rebaine, had been a power- from the Star Wars films, Ernie Hudson (of Ghost- ful warlord, a terror among terrors, who—with the help of extremely powerful magical augmentation—conquered, busters ), Battlestar ’s Richard Hatch, local filmmakers slaughtered, and spread mayhem with great abandon in his Scott Phillips and Kurly Tlapoyawa, Jim Kelly, Doug past. Responsible for the deaths of many thousands, he was Jones, Ben Templesmith (comics guest of honor), local known as “the Terror of the East,” an appellation that implies artists Andy Kuhn and Aaron Campbell, James O’Barr, that “hero” just might not be a proper term for him. As the Joe Jusko and others. Derrick also is talking to the New book opens, Rebaine has abandoned the old ways and is liv- Mexico Wild Cards authors and local low-budget film- ing a simpler life under a different name, trying not to be makers. recognized and subsequently killed. Everyone hates Rebaine, As such, the annual Tromadance New Mexico Film and believes him to have vanished forever. Festival, organized by Burning Paradise’s Tlapoyawa, Suddenly, an unknown impostor appears and begins will take place at ACE. A Costume Contest also has slaughtering members of the ruling aristocracy and others in been announced. power, using Rebaine’s old appearance and methods, right

Page 4 ASFACTS , February 2011 down to the exact same exact powerful magic. Naturally, it is Then, as if hostile environments and ocean crushing assumed that it is Rebaine behind this, and surviving leaders pressures aren’t enough, there also is Katherine Westfall who start preparing to hunt him down. is determined to see the whole thing fail. Should it succeed, The story then follows two small groups, each hunting Archer could be appointed director of the International As- the other; Rebaine himself is leading one group, having been tronautical Authority – a position Westfall wants. She isn’t brought out of retirement by the reports of the impostor (it’s above a blackmail, sabotage, and even murder to get there. kind of obvious this was the impostor’s purpose), and the And as for the flying monkeys – may I have the enve- other group is seeking Rebaine; the members of that group lope please - the winners are aliens called “sharks.” Okay, so each have different reasons for seeking him. The climax of it’s a bit of a stretch but in my defense these aliens do sort of the book comes when the two groups inevitably meet. fly through the highly acidic ocean laced with ammonia and Pacing is excellent, and I never found myself tempted sulfur. They also attack Leviathans and little submersibles to skim over dull sections. Character motivations are often like the Faraday. Even though our wicked witch Westfall subtle, and there are plans within plans throughout, and sur- isn’t in contact with them, they still are doing her will. prising revelations here and there. Leviathans of Jupiter does have a few weak moments There are a few flashback scenes, which are jarring— but I’m not going to nitpick on the frame when the painting other than that they’re set in a different typeface, there’s itself is so good. It is a novel that stands well on its own even nothing to indicate they’re flashbacks. You have to figure if you haven’t previously read Jupiter . It is a wonderful book that out yourself. to be read in a bath tub of nice, warm water. If only I could Ari Marmell does make use of one of my pet peeves: find a store that would sell me rubber Leviathans instead of we are bombarded with many fictional place-names without duckies, the experience would be perfect. As for reading it in even the vaguest clue as to how to pronounce them, and most a tank of perfluorocarbon, I’m afraid you’ll have to read the of these names have two or even three possible pronuncia- book to understand that comment. tions. A guide would have been a big help here. The charac- ters are not at all helpful here, as they all speak contempo- Vicious Grace: Black Sun’s Daughter Book 3 by M.L.N rary 21st-century English, albeit with some fantasy-standard Hanover, Pocket 2010, mmpb $7.99, 384 pages. curses thrown in here and there. Review by Caci Gallop Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Go read Vicious Grace , the third in the Black Sun’s Daughter it! Meanwhile, I’ll be out looking for Book One. urban fantasy series by M.L.N. Hanover, continues the su- pernatural romp of Jayné Heller, but with a bit of a twist. Leviathans of Jupiter by Ben Bova, Tor 2011, hc $24.99, Now I understand that some people like to read the last 480 pages. Review by Grant Kuck line or two of a book to determine whether they want to read At last, a book designed to be read in the bath tub! the whole book to find out how the story got there. It’s abso- (Either that or in a tank of perfluorocarbon.) But I am getting lutely imperative that you do not do this with Vicious Grace . ahead of myself. Ben Bova’s latest book, Leviathans of Jupi- The last line of the book is a huge bombshell and drops you, ter , reminds me of the Wizard of Oz with beautiful, microbi- the reader, off the deep end while setting up the next book in ologist Deidre Ambrose in the place of Dorothy; and a tin- the series. Personally, I feel if you have read the last line man-like cyborg named Dorn, who, while not searching for a before reading the preceding story in this case it will color heart, is searching for peace and forgiveness. Then there is the way you read this story prematurely. Andy Corvus, a tall-but-thin scarecrow of a scientist who Vicious Grace opens up with Jayné and her team train- studies the brain (with the hope of making alien contact); and ing in a remote area of the United States attempting to shape finally engineer G. Maxwell Yeager, who has the biggest ego themselves into better fighters, but of course duty calls. They in the group and manages to take the lion’s share of any con- hear of an unusual situation in Chicago and immediately versation. Katherine Westfall, one of the wealthiest women travel to the area to take care of the problem. What you do on earth, fills in the villain’s role with plots and schemes that not expect in this book, unlike the others, is that the charac- would make even the wicked witch jealous. ters’ true colors begin to show. There is a major upset when The one thing all these characters have in common is the team learns what kind of man Jayné’s uncle really was the Thomas Gold Station that orbits Jupiter, the largest of all and who they really are in the face of that revelation. The the solar systems planets. Gold Station’s quest (aside from emotions of the main characters are what really make this studying the planet itself) is to make contact with alien crea- book interesting to read. Finding and fighting what they tures colloquially, called “Leviathans” who are each about came to Chicago for was almost like a secondary plot com- the size of the city of Manhattan. They dwell in an ocean pared to the way the group is interacting and dealing with almost 11 times wider than Earth and five thousand kilome- each other. ters deep. To make contact a special submersible, named All and all, Vicious Grace is another entertaining and Faraday, has been designed by Max Yeager to safely carry interesting read of the Black Sun’s Daughter series, and it’s humans deep down into the ocean and back. highly recommended if you enjoyed the first two books. If there is a wizard in this story, it’s Grant Archer, physicist and head of the Gold Station scientific team. In Bloodshot by Cherie Priest, Bantam Spectra 2011, tp Bova’s book, Jupiter , a Leviathan saved the doomed sub- $15.00, 361 pages. Review by Craig W. Chrissinger mersible he was in. The act convinced Archer that the giant From Boneshaker ’s steampunk zombies in the Old aliens were intelligent but he still wants scientific proof. Northwest, Cherie Priest now turns her attention to urban fantasy in Bloodshot , a stand-alone novel that obviously

Page 5 ASFACTS , February 2011 serves as the start of a series. What’s more unique here than The Native Star by M.K. Hobson, Bantam Spectra 2010, the average run-of-the-mill urban fantasy is having a sassy, mmpb $7.99, 400 pages. Review by Serge Mailloux thieving vampire as the first-person protagonist. A few years ago, I discovered a story. And a writer. Raylene Pendle lives mostly in Seattle and has no real The story was "The Hotel Astarte," and the writer was M.K. attachment to any of the major vampire houses. She prefers it Hobson. She went on to write one wonderful story after an- that way, and makes her living as a world-renowned thief other. Last August, she gave us her novel, The Native Star . who uses her supernatural (and planning) skills to obtain The year is 1876. The place is the logging town of Lost priceless art and rare jewels. She doesn’t usually work with Pine, up in northern California's Sierras. Things are not go- other vampires, but then she’s contacted by the mysterious ing well for Emily Edwards. It's becoming more and more blind vampire Ian. Seems he was kidnapped and held by difficult for her to get enough business to support her aging Project Bloodshot, a biological experiment to understand Pap when everybody prefers buying magical charms from vampire skills, such as eyesight and hearing, and use them catalogs that now come all the way from the East. Out of for military applications. Ian wants Raylene to steal the pa- desperation, she uses herbs and poetry to put together a love perwork that explains what was done to him so a doctor in spell that'll make Dag, the town's most wealthy man, want to Canada can try to repair the damage to his eyes. marry her. Things immediately go wrong – a situation not When a ninja-dressed intruder breaks into the old fac- helped by the local mine's zombie crew going out of control. tory warehouse where Raylene holds her stolen goods, she When the dust has settled, Emily is stuck with a myste- quickly becomes immersed in a world of intrigue, spies and rious gem thru the middle of her palm. Unable to remove the Men in Black. With a CIA-financed scientist trying to track stone, and unable to cancel the spell that has made Dag ob- her and an ass-kicking drag queen from Atlanta beside her, sessed with her, she'll have to ride all the way to San Fran- this case proves to be more difficult and personal that any- cisco with Dreadnought Stanton, a warlock from an East thing Raylene has faced before. Coast institute who has a very low opinion of her approach Bloodshot is a quick, fun and quirky read. Raylene is to Magic. Their journey is filled with tension: well established by Priest, and given a memorable personal- “The zombies were animated entirely by magic.” ity. Just like with Boneshaker , this Seattle author puts to- Stanton chewed on a thick piece of bread, which he’d gether many enjoyable elements and characters. A sassy buttered and topped with even more sugar. “The stone vampire, a former Navy Seal who hides as a drag queen, absorbed the magical energy that drove them. But it agents who dress in covert black, and plenty of action – what seems not to affect magic that has already worked its else do you need? A sequel would be gladly welcomed. way into a living creature’s life force.” “That’s a shame,” Emily said. Blameless: The Parasol Protectorate 3 by Gail Carriger, “Not really. If the stone worked like that, you’d Orbit 2010, mmpb $7.99, 374 pages. most likely be dead.” Review by Jessica Coyle “Instead of on a road to San Francisco, trying to Gail Carriger’s The Parasol Protectorate is a series of rescue a man who loves me so much he hates me?” novels that follow the adventures of Alexia Tarabotti, an th Stanton looked as he tore another hunk from the unconventional woman living in a steampunk-influenced 19 now-ravaged loaf. “Still feeling guilty, are we? I’d century London. Carriger’s alternate reality examines a land have thought you’d be over that by now.” where vampires and werewolves have risen to become im- “I have a nettlesome little thing called a con portant members of society, and where steam-powered tech- science,” Emily hissed. “Ever hear of it?” nology has taken the place of electricity. The situation is bad enough, but there are also dark Blameless , the third book, finds Alexia in the midst of a forces at work, humans in the government who have no major crisis. Her husband has thrown her out of their home, qualms about wielding the Magic of blood. They want and she has been forced to move in with her silly mother and Emily's stone, even if it means having to hack her hand off. two annoying sisters. Her social standing is ruined because Highly recommended. of the scandal, and she is the main focus of London Society gossip. In order to escape, Alexia decides to go on a tour of Insatiable by Meg Cabot, William Morrow 2010, hc France and Italy. She is accompanied by her friend Madame $22.99, 464 pages (paperback release June 2011). Genevieve Lefoux, a well-known inventor, and her trusted Review by Jessica Coyle manservant, Floote. During their travels, the group is myste- Meg Cabot’s latest novel, Insatiable , follows the ad- riously attacked by vampires that seem intent on killing ventures of Meena Harper, a writer for TVs second-highest- Alexia, and they are forced to take cover with the Templars, rated soap opera Insatiable . Meena possesses the ability of an organization of Vampire and Werewolf hunters that oper- seeing how people are going to die, which is both a blessing ate under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church. and a curse. One day she meets a man on the street who This is a very enjoyable installment in what is shaping saves her from a colony of bats that mysteriously attack her. up to be an excellent series of books. If you enjoy Jane Aus- The man turns out to be her neighbor’s cousin Lucien, ten-style books with a decidedly supernatural twist, then I and he is the first man Meena has met whose death she can- would recommend Carriger’s work. However, the plot of not predict. Meena falls madly in love with Lucien, but their Blameless depends a lot on the reader knowing what has romance quickly sucks her into a strange underground world happened in previous installments. I would suggest starting of vampires and vampire hunters that she never knew ex- at the beginning with Soulless if this series sounds appealing. isted.

Page 6 ASFACTS , February 2011 Cabot, mostly known for writing the Princess Diaries go on an arduous journey to a rural place, Amaranth, where series of Young Adult novels, has written several other they hope to live in relative security and plenty. Needless to books that incorporate the supernatural, including The Me- say they don't do this very peacefully or politely. At the same diator and 1-800-Where-R-You series. Insatiable is her first time, The Book opposes an anything-goes mentality. There paranormal romance directed at an adult audience, and it is a are plenty of rules about how to select leaders, how to initi- fun ride. Meena’s trials and tribulations, even at their most ate new members, etc. It doesn't prescribe violence just for serious, are approached with refreshing humor. Especially the sake of violence. amusing is the novel’s secondary storyline in which Meena I admit that when I first read this book I was totally tries to convince the staff of Insatiable not to adopt a vam- disgusted. The post-apocalyptic genre isn't my favorite to pire storyline to beat out their competition in the ratings. If begin with, except for oldies like 1984 and Brave New you enjoy your paranormal romance with a sense of humor, World . Also, when reading fiction or nonfiction about sur- Insatiable is a good book to check out. vival in extreme conditions, I have a lot of trouble putting myself in the shoes of people who have to make terrible de- Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch, Del Rey 2011, mmpb cisions about life and death. I tend to get on my high horse $7.99, 320 pages. Review by Caci Gallop and think, "Well, I'd never stoop to acting like some blood- Midnight Riot is the first in a new series from the fairly thirsty monster, no matter what." But that's easy for me to well-known screenwriter and short story author Ben Aarono- say when I've had quite a safe and secure life. vitch. This new book very easily slips right into the genre I reread Darin Bradley’s book a few days ago and what Aaronovitch has established his writing in and is enjoyable struck me was that Noise is about idealistic nerds who sud- to boot. denly have to deal with a harsh new reality. Hiram and Levi Midnight Riot starts out with a police constable, Peter grew up in a sheltered environment of church, Boy Scouts, Grant, and his unfortunate, unexpected, meeting with a Dungeons and Dragons, Renaissance Faires and Greek my- ghost. This leads him into a previously unknown, largely thology. They had to quickly learn how to shoot guns and ignored, section of the Metropolitan Police Force under the organize a group of guerrilla fighters. They weren't accus- direction of a mysterious Inspector who reports to the Com- tomed to violence and aggression. missioner and no one else. Peter is quickly taken under In- Overall Noise was quite a downer, a reminder that even spector Nightingale’s wing and without much preamble be- the greatest civilizations can collapse. As flawed as The gins learning magic and solving crimes in the greater London Book's philosophy seems, maybe it's good to have a Plan B. area. While trying to keep his head above water after being tossed into this world filled with magic, water nymphs and The Lost Fleet 6: Victorious by Jack Campbell, Ace 2010, Father Thames himself, they chase down a mysterious rash mmpb $7.99, 352 pages. Review by Serge Mailloux of murders were the victims faces generally just fall off. Last year I read The Lost Fleet: Victorious by Jack A quick, amusing read, and easily believable as though Campbell, aka John G Hemry. And read it fast I did – proba- magic really might exist in modern London with a special bly the fastest I’ve ever read a novel. In the series' first vol- branch of the police force dealing with the odd and unex- ume, Black , Jack Geary had been drifting in space in sus- plained crimes. Recommended if you enjoy crime-dramas pended animation for one century until the Alliance Fleet with a bit of supernatural thrown in for flavor. found him in enemy territory. Since then he’s had to pull out one miracle after another to bring the Fleet home. And in this Noise by Darin Bradley, Bantam Spectra 2010, tp $15.00, sixth and final novel, he finally has. His home is gone, he is 240 pages. Review by Amy Mathis tired, but much remains to be taken care of. Not only must he The short novel Noise is set in the very near future, take the Fleet back to the enemy’s human home world, but after the transition from analog to digital TV in the US. An there is also the matter of the aliens who may have started underground hacker subculture has developed around the war: "Salvage," the old analog system, communicating outside the Another hour went by, Geary’s thoughts dwelling mainstream media. Salvage's users get an early warning on the battles he had commanded, on the men and about the upcoming, sudden collapse of the American econ- women and ships who had survived and on those who omy, government and social structure, long before everyone hadn’t. His decisions, his responsibility. He remem- else. The book centers around two Texan college students, bered the Marine officer Carabali’s words. I am tired Hiram and Levi, who start preparing for survival in this shat- of deciding who lives and who dies. tered new world. They compose a manual, "The Book," Recommended. which isn't just a survival kit but a sociological and political framework for a new way of living. It does presume a vio- lent, anarchistic, zero-sum new world where one can only ASFS M EETING REPORT — trust oneself and one's small group, where anyone outside your group is an enemy whom you may have to kill before DECEMBER 2010: S HORT FILMS & D ESSERTS they have a chance to kill you. The Book’s opening doesn't pull any punches: "This Forty-one people came out to watch comedic holiday Book assumes many things...that you are still alive...that film shorts, and to help judge the 6th ASFS Dessert Cook- there has been a breakdown...that a new competition for re- Off by tasting many delightful food samples. sources has begun...that you will kill other people..." Hiram Space was very tight in the Bernalillo, but we man- and Levi start enlisting friends to form their own group and aged to show RiffTrax’s Cooking Terms and What They

Page 7 ASFACTS , February 2011 Mean, two episodes of Look Around You, Futurama ’s “X- 38.5 people in the last year, but they cannot guarantee that Mas Story,” the Muppets’ “Carol of the Bells” and “Ode to will be possible every month. A signed contract will hold Joy,” a Chuck short - “John Casey Presents: So You Want the rental rate to $65.00 through March 2012. To Be a Deadly Spy,” Craig Feguson’s unbroadcast Doctor Book Discussion: Books read in 2010 and recom- Who Opening, RiffTrax’s The Night Before Christmas, and mended by folks include Boneshaker by Priest, The Name the Madagascar Penguins in “A Christmas Caper.” of the Wind by Rothfuss, Bitter Seeds by Tregillis, Anathem In the Dessert Cook-Off, there were an incredible and Cryptonomicon by Stephenson, the Long Sun books by number of entrees from Becky Davis, Michelle Foley, Wolfe, Illusion by Volsky, Turncoat by Butcher, The Edge Roberta Johnson, Randi Tinkham, Patricia Rogers, Christie of Reason and The Edge of Ruin by Snodgrass, Dracula by Jury, Julie Heffernan, Harriet Engle, Tom Sittler, Joe Lane, Stoker, Mutants: On Genetic Variety by Leroi, Wildside by Danielle Pollock, Caci Gallop, Joe & Linda Walters, Kathy Gould, Dick and Jane and Vampires by Marchesani, Unfin- K. Kubica, J. Kriss White, Pat Mathews, Aaron Birenboim, ished Tales by Tolkien, books by L. Sprague de Camp, The Jessica Coyle and Amy Mathis. High King of Montival and A Taint in the Blood by Stirling, Best Overall went to Christie Jury’s Ginger Cheese- The Native Star by Hobson, Twelfth Planet by Sitchin, cake with Ginger Peach Topping, and Second Place to Diana Comet by McDonald, The Terror by Simmons, Becky Davis’ Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream. In the Gin- Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Grahame-Smith, ger Category, Danielle Pollock won for her Ginger Walnut Night of the Living Trekkies by Anderson, Wired for War Rumballs. And an Honorable Mention went to Joe Lane’s by Singer, Against All Things Ending by Donaldson, I Shall Chocolate Covered Ginger Chinese Spiced Bacon. Wear Midnight by Pratchett, Thomas E. Sniegoski books, Thanks to everyone for their holiday contributions! Secrets of the Lost Symbol by Burstein, Blackout and All Clear by Willis, Vicious Grace by Hanover, Indigo Springs JANUARY 2011: C LUB & B OOK DISCUSSIONS by Dellamonica, Fart Proudly by Franklin, Insatiable by Cabot, Girl Genius by Foglio, The Lost City of Z by Grann, We returned to the Vista Norte Room (for the first Last Call by Powers, the Tattoo Shop Mysteries by Olson, time in a while) to seat 39 people around the permanent and Little Brother by Doctorow. conference table to talk about the club’s future location Books to Avoid (Warning): The Windup Girl by Baci- (come March) and what books members had read in 2010. galupi (beautifully written but very long & depressing), CLUB BUSINESS : After much discussion of researched Trolls in the Hamptons by Jerome (not that good) and The potential alternate meeting locations (because the Shera- City & the City by Mieville... ton’s rates have gone up), points of confusion and conten- tion, and some voiced frustrations, a motion was made and passed by a simple majority of those present — EDITOR NOTES TO FILL THIS SPACE “The club will stay at the Sheraton Airport Hotel for What is what up with the freezing cold this Febru- the present, with dues going up 50 cents a meeting or $5.00 ary? We’re breaking records in New Mexico set 40 years annually unless another source of revenue is found. Such ago in 1971. Global warming seems like a fantasy at the alternate revenue must be determined by March, or dues moment. More like another Ice Age! Thank Ghu it will will go up effective April 2011.” warm up this weekend. The Sheraton will try to keep us in a larger room on February also marks a year since I got this particular the ground floor since our attendance has been averaging computer with Office 2007, and my one-year anniversary at Page One Bookstore. Been a fast 12 months, really. Just did Jessica and my birthdays in the last two

BOOK NOTES: Several people owe book months, had my annual physical check-up this morning, wrote a short piece for Fangoria last Friday, and have reviews to ASF ACTS for the free reading material they’ve received (or will receive) at meetings. seen advance screenings of The Adjustment Bureau, I Am So, in the future, cross your fingers for com- Number Four and The Green Hornet . Next up, we’re go- ments on The Machinery of Light by Williams, ing to the Southwest Burlesque Showcase tomorrow, Nights of Villjamur by Newton, Evolutionary Void there are several signings at Page One and Bubonicon- by Hamilton, Wolf’s Cross by Swann, After Amer- sponsored screenings at the Guild coming up, and we’re ica by Birmingham, The War That Came Early: planning on being in Portales at the end of March for the Hitler’s War by Turtledove, Farlander by Bu- annual Williamson Lectureship! Busy, busy, busy. chanan, Star Wars: Red Harvest by Schreiber, Thanks to Joe Walters, Grant Kuck, Caci Gallop, Catacombs: A Tale of the Barque Cats by Jessica Coyle, Serge Mailloux and Amy Mathis for their McCaffrey, Sword Woman by Howard, The Re- book reviews this time. Hopefully, more material will membering Book 3 by Cash, The Raven Queen by come for the April issue - I need stuff by Sun, April 3 . Watson, Hellhole by Herbert & Anderson, and See you all in these pages in two months. Happy Kings of the North by Moon. Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. Beware the Ides of March and such. –Craig C.

Page 8 ASFACTS , February 2011